Resources - Mane Partners

What To Expect: Equine Body Work

Intake and Evaluation

All horse interactions will begin with gathering information about the horse’s history and current lifestyle and activities. This is accomplished through an intake form the owner completes, discussion with the owner and/or primary caretaker of the horse and direct evaluation of the horse.

Prior to starting a structural integration series, a more comprehensive evaluation will be completed, including a movement evaluation with video and possible observation of the horse under saddle. This is generally done on a day prior to the first session.

Sessions

Sessions are generally 1.5 to 2.5 hours. In an SI series, the work is sequential and progressive so each session is different. The length of time between and duration of sessions will depend on your horse’s needs and response to the work. Sessions 1 through 3 are generally 3 to 10 days apart and later sessions may be 4 to 6 weeks apart to allow your horse’s body time to adjust to changes.

On The Day Of The Session

It is likely that your horse will experience significant benefits from this work. In order to ensure that your horse gets the most from the sessions, the following guidelines apply:

The horse should be in, groomed, and ready to begin the session at the scheduled meeting time. This includes picking out hooves and cleaning mud from legs and feet. Please do NOT apply fly spray or topical medications.
If the horse has any chance of being nervous or uncomfortable being away from other horses, it is best to have a horse companion nearby so that your horse can relax. This modality of body work relies on the horse relaxing and focusing on the work that is being done so that I can read his/her responses.
You (the owner/caretaker) should be present or close by during the first session of a series. For all series or single sessions, there should be someone who is familiar with the horse nearby (in the building or in sight or verbal distance) for safety reasons. The sessions are long, but an owner who pays close attention to changes during and between sessions may learn a lot about what’s going on with their horse. (There is wiggle room with this for trainers with full schedules and/or for exceptionally mellow horses. Plans will be made case by case.)
There should be a safe and reasonably clean location for the body work to be done. This could be in a stall, an arena, an aisleway, or in a round pen or small paddock if the weather is good. The area should have good footing and be reasonably free of hazards, manure, and mud.
As possible, it is good to consider the feeding routines and activity level in the barn and try to schedule sessions when there will be minimal distractions for your horse.

After and Between Sessions

It takes time for the horse to process and integrate the work that has been done. He/she should have the day off on the days when work is done. Horses doing an SI series should generally have light work for 3 days after a session. Specific recommendations for each horse will be discussed.
Immediately following the session, if the horse is going into a stall, he/she should first be given a drink of water and hand walked for 15 minutes.

Scheduling

If an emergency arises and plans need to be changed, please notify me at least 24 hours in advance. Numerous schedule changes within a series may be incompatible with continuing the series.

Payment

Payment is expected at the time of service, if not pre-paid for the series.
I accept cash, check, or Paypal sent to paypal.me/MeganOR. I do not use Venmo or take credit cards.

After A Series Is Complete

It is good to allow the horse 3 to 6 months to continue adjusting to changes in its body following the final session of the series. Tune-up sessions may be scheduled as desired after that time. In some cases, if a horse has chronic issues or has compensation patterns that are very difficult to release, an extension of the series may be recommended.

What To Expect Human Wellness Programs

The process begins with a phone or Zoom consultation to discuss your interests and goals for the individual or group. That information will guide the design of the experience.

Day of the Experience

Participants are asked to arrive dressed in closed toed shoes appropriate for walking on natural surfaces and in clothes for being outdoors. It will be best to wear shoes and clothes that you won’t mind getting dirty. Sessions begin with information about safety around horses. Following that, activities will involve interactions with horses from the ground and discussion of experiences. No riding is involved in these programs.